December 16, 2008: Prison Service New Race Review

The Prison Service today published their Race Review 2008 report, which details work within the service on race equality over the past five years.

The launch of the the review, which was held at Brixton Prison, is five years to the day since the Commission for Racial Equality (now part of the Equality and Human Rights Commission) published its harshly critical report on race equality in the Prison Service. Brixton was one of the three establishments involved in the CRE's formal investigation.

The review draws upon a wide evidence base, including the various sources of local and national data. It also considers the view of regulators and external stakeholders, as well as the perceptions of prisoners. The review highlights progress made by the service in delivering race equality since 2003,and  demonstrates the progress made in putting the systems and processes in place to effectively manage race equality in prisons. However, the report also acknowledges that, despite considerable changes, the experience of black and minority ethnic prisoners and staff has not been transformed.

Phil Wheatley, Director General of NOMS (National Offender Management Service) said:

'The launch of the review report represents the results of considerable hard work and focus on improving delivery on race by staff at all levels of the Service. Whilst the actions we have taken over the last five years have generated substantial improvements, there is still more to do and we are not complacent."

'In moving forward, the report does not call for a raft of new initiatives but for a more common sense, ordinary understanding of race where right relationships are the key to progress and where good prison officers, good managers, and good leaders are the means of achieving that.'

Justice Minister Shahid Malik said:

'The Prison Service has shown its willingness to be transparent and to engage with its partners in an important, and often challenging, area of its business. On reading the report, there can be no doubt that the Service has come a long way since this day five years ago."

'However, there's no room for complacency. In moving forward, I want to see the Prison Service - both nationally and locally - continuing to work cooperatively with partner organisations, building on the solid foundations already laid to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.'

In response to the publication of the report, Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon commented:

"The racism still embedded in the culture of our overcrowded jails. It would be wrong not to acknowledge and commend the structural change, committed leadership and considerable work done by prison managers to respond to the CRE’s damning criticisms and the Mubarek inquiry report."

"Equally it would be wrong not to admit that, despite all this, the day to day experience of many black and minority ethnic prisoners is one of unfair and unequal treatment. How can you make constructive use of a prison sentence if you live in fear of being victimised or segregated and knowing that when, and if, you complain you will not be taken seriously and that you risk further vilification?"

"One way to tackle the hidden racism that makes people’s lives a misery is to consult prisoners regularly and deal with the concerns they raise."